TribYear: Top Texas News of 2011

In the spirit of our regular offerings in TribWeek and TribMonth, we present TribYear: 10 of our best stories from 2011.

The Texas Tribune covered its first legislative session in 2011 and its first presidential campaign. A Republican supermajority that took office after the 2010 elections controlled the session. The leading topic of the six-month lawmaking marathon was the budget, followed by redistricting and a host of issues that grew out of the 2010 elections and took root as legislation. Education — both the public and higher varieties — was an important story line in 2011, as were criminal justice issues, health care, immigration and, as always, politics and general government. Herewith, a sampling of some of our best work of the year: